David Cook has been involved in many different social enterprises over the years. Initially, he was involved without knowing it; something which he expands on in this interview. He has worked for WASPS and the Cultural Enterprise Office, amongst others, and has recently become freelance with his own firm Cook Creative.

David was one of the very first people I met when I began working on the Kibble Podcast Network. He may not remember it, but we met at the first event I attended with the Social Enterprise Summit in Inverness back in June 2015. To think about how the social enterprise landscape has changed since then is remarkable, particularly given that, at the time of writing, it was less than 18 months ago.

As we approach our 50th episode, I’ve been reflecting on the people I’ve spoken to and the things I’ve learned since we launched in September 2015. It’s been just over a year and I still feel very “green”. Social enterprise, and business generally, has so many moving parts. It has so many different considerations that I still find myself struggling to take it all in it.

It’s unknown to me if the people I’ve spoken to over the course of this podcast feel the same way, but they certainly don’t act like they do. Each one has been confident and informed about how this sector works, and how their businesses operate. Of course, they have to be – they’re in charge… but there’s still a long way to go for me. Which is why talking to someone like David Cook, who has 25 years’ experience with leading cultural and social enterprises, is important. Not just to this podcast, but also to me as I look to expand my knowledge.

And when it comes to knowledge, David certainly has it. What follows is, I think, a really interesting conversation about Scottish culture, the creative arts and social enterprise. I hope you enjoy the interview.

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Podcast developer at Kibble. You’ll usually find me online tweeting about social enterprise, child and youth care or third sector issues, in the office huddled over a microphone, or at home listening to Prince. Always ask questions, learn new things and be positive.